The Tolyen
by Lifeistooshort
Summary: Offworld and literally going mad, Daniel and Vala are doing their best not to kill each other. Forced to partake in a ceremonial cure for the madness, they both start to feel like a fight to the death would have been more favorable.
1. Madness

"Do you remember the last time we were here?" she let the question float over to him.

The room was dark and silent. They were on opposite sides of the room, trying their best to avoid each other. The last time they'd been here things had not exactly gone to plan.

Daniel winced. "I'm sorry Vala," he responded. "I didn't mean to get us into this." How could he have let this happen?

She shrugged. "You couldn't help it." She shivered in her little corner. She felt cold, seething with cold. She knew Daniel was probably feeling just as miserable. She felt glad that he was suffering too. She was trying to keep her head clear. She was trying not to blame him.

Vala glared over and Daniel and then lowered her eyes. "I just wish…" she didn't know what she wished. Things weren't easy here. Things were getting complicated and fast. Some part of her wanted to go home and forget everything. The other part knew she had to push through this because the galaxy was at stake.

They'd been off world for at least three days now, though Vala was having trouble keeping tack. Running into the storm had only made things worse. The villagers had been nice enough. They had given them dry clothes and somewhere to sleep. Daniel had been smart enough to check in before things got out of hand. He'd told Landry they wouldn't check in for a few days. Vala had heard him mutter something about 'not worrying'.

She sure has hell was worried now. There was something about this planet that made you go crazy. There was something that made you go mad as soon as you walked through the gate. Despite the dangers, which they had experienced first hand, Vala and Daniel had returned a second time.

Doctor Lam thought she had found a way to counteract the effects of the madness. The cure however hadn't particularly pleased Daniel. She'd given them shots telling Daniel with a grim looking smile, "And as a last resort…"

"I know… I know…." Daniel had muttered and walked away.

Now staring at Vala he couldn't believe he was considering it.

"This is different then last time," Vala told him slowly. She rubbed her head and lowered herself along the wall. She curled up and rested her head on her knees. "My head feels fuzzy."

Daniel sat down in his half of the room. "Yeah," Daniel muttered. "Dr. Lam said that could be a side-effect." He rubbed the back his head. This was more complicated then last time. He could make it work this time. All it would take was… sacrifice. "We just have to concentrate on finding the artifact."

"Right!" Vala said, head still on her knees she raised a pointed finger. "What artifact was that again?"

"Vala," Daniel sighed. He tried to shake away his irritation, not knowing where it would lead.

She smiled to herself. "I'm sorry. Very hard to concentrate." She rubbed her eyes lightly. Fuzzy didn't even begin to explain the feeling of her pounding headache. "Maybe we should stop talking."

Daniel just nodded. His mind started to wander. He thought about sweat. The heat in his body was growing. His head was pounding. He felt an urge to throw Vala against the wall and…

"Maybe not," Daniel said suddenly. He got up and started pacing. "Maybe we should just go talk to the villagers. See if any of them can help us."

Vala looked up at him and laughed. "Talk to the villagers?"

"Right," Daniel said shaking his head. "Bad idea."

The last time they were here they'd found the villagers quite immune to the effects of the madness. While the villagers had spoken coherently and had given very direct instructions, Vala and Daniel on the other hand…

"I'm surprised they even let us back," Vala said trying her best not to move. She was thinking about pounding Daniel's head into the back of the…. "I don't think Dr. Lam's medication worked." She put her head back down and closed her eyes. Maybe if she got some sleep.

Daniel knew it wasn't totally true. Dr. Lam's antidote had kept them together and lucid for the past three days. The last time they'd barely lasted three hours.

There were still a few things not quite clear to Daniel. If the villagers knew the dangers of the madness why did they insist on putting Vala and him in the same room? It seemed clear to him that isolation was the best option. Daniel kept pacing pulling at his hair.

He hadn't exactly had time to observe the culture on this planet. Maybe they had some kind of ritual that suppressed the madness? Daniel shook his head. He so didn't want to speculate on that kind of ritual. He had noticed however that the cultural inhibitions against physical contact were rather… loose. Almost everywhere they had gone, people had been kissing or rather groping each other.

Vala had made some remarks about experiencing local culture. Daniel had rolled his eyes. Now he was starting to think there was more to it.

Then Daniel had an epiphany. They hadn't seen any children? The youngest person they had seen couldn't have been under then 13. Was there something to that? Was there an antidote for the children, that didn't involve… Daniel's mind trailed off. Could he do it if he had to? Could he help Vala and give her what she needed? He had thought of it as a last resort but there was more at stake here then his personal feelings about… He shook his head and tried to remember what was so important. Where were all the children?

"Vala!" Daniel shouted with a hint of excitement. "Where are all the children?"

Vala looked up at him. She shrugged. "School. Camp." She stared at him and in all seriousness said, "Maybe they were all grounded."

He took a few steps towards her. "I'm serious!" he shouted at her with anger. Vala didn't move. She knew if she did, this trip would be over very quickly. Daniel heaved a heavy breath, and turned away from her. There was a long silence, neither one of them moved.

"I'm sorry," Daniel whispered after a long while.

"Why does it matter?" Vala asked, actually concerned.

Daniel shook his head. "I don't know." Why was it important? Where had all the children gone? Did the madness start at birth? Did they grow out of it? Did the villagers know what was going on? "I think we have to figure it out."

Vala sighed. She didn't want to provoke him but she had to make her point. "We're here to find the artifact. Why are the children important at all?"

Daniel sighed. He could feel the rage simmering to the surface. "Vala if we don't figure out how to get over this," he muttered out loud, trying to keep his voice even, "I'm going to kill you!"

Vala grunted. Daniel always said the nicest things sometimes. This time however she knew he was serious. She knew he was serious because she wanted to kill him too. Somehow the feeling made her feel closer to him. They were always bonding in the oddest of ways.

"You're the one who lost the antidote," she grunted towards him. It wasn't really the fairest thing to say. They'd arrived at the third village, wet, cold and having lost all their gear and weapons. Daniel had been carrying the antidote, to be administered every twelve hours. Having gone now almost 16 hours without the antidote Daniel and Vala were having a few issues.

Daniel took deep breaths. He had to keep control. He didn't want to go through what they'd been through last time. Being dragged back to the SGC, having to be put in isolation and having acted in a manner that could be called 'out of character', had done nothing for his pride let alone his sanity. Wanting to rip out Vala's throat had been a feeling that troubled him more then slightly. The feeling that was resurfacing now was one very similar, though perhaps darker. He didn't so much want to kill Vala, as much as he wanted to hurt her.

"Just get some sleep," Daniel muttered angrily. He was angrier with himself then with her. He knew she was probably worse off then he was, seeing as he had a 'last resort' option. "I'll keep watch."

Vala crept slowly onto the bed and curled into a ball. "Promise not to kill me?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "I'll do my best."

That seemed enough for Vala, within moments she was softly snoring.


	2. Journey to the tents

Vala felt a sharp pain in her side. Her eyelids opened slowly, they felt heavy. Her head was fuzzy and throbbing; everything seemed to hurt. Her clothes were making her skin ache and the hair across her face was painfully draining. She could still feel her heart beating, thundering through her body. As she woke she could feel herself losing control and the rage taking over. She felt like she was waking up to a bad dream, not that her nightmares had been very comforting.

"Wake up!" she heard Daniel's voice yell.

She jumped up and rolled to the other side of the bed; having Daniel that close hadn't helped much. "What the hell are you doing?!" Vala yelled at him.

Daniel just grunted. "My turn," Daniel said pointing to the bed. "You watch!" He pointed to the door.

Vala wanted to kill him. She wanted to pull off Daniel's arm so she could beat him to death with it. Instead she pulled her hair and groaned. She found her way to the door and mumbled something about paranoid men. She would have to leave Daniel alone for at least a few hours.

She knew when he fell off to sleep because his snores filled with room like a heavy drone. That snore was the most grading sound she'd ever heard. How the hell had Daniel made it through those hours without killing her?

Vala glanced over at him. She was trying to hang onto her sanity. She loved Daniel; he was her best friend. He was the first person who had given her a chance and trusted her. He believed in her, which was one of the most surprising things Vala had ever experienced. She didn't really want to kill him. Did she?

She turned away and tried to think of something else. The artifact! Yes this elusive artifact that was supposed to help them overthrow the Ori and save the universe from galactic obedience. Right. Aside from that she couldn't say anything for sure. She couldn't even remember what the damn thing was supposed to look like. Frankly this could all be for nothing.

Vala shook herself at the thought. This had better be for something.

She tried to clam herself down. There were worse things in life then being a little mad? Mad as in crazy. She hugged herself; she was getting cold. Last time hadn't been this hard. There hadn't been this much pain to work through last time. Last time she had just been angry, and homicidal, and maybe just a touch stark raving mad. This time there was pain, and the pain was a driving force.

She paused, Daniel's snoring was making her grind her teeth and grinding her teeth was painful. Stupid Daniel for his snores! All she could think about was taking a pillow and suffocating the life out of him.

Why had he been going on about children? So what if there weren't children? Probably hiding them so Vala and Daniel didn't eat one accidentally. What was wrong with her? She had to stop thinking about violent, malicious, savory thoughts that brought blood to her mouth in anticipation of just one single…

She got up and started pacing. How could Daniel have lost the antidote? She was going to go crazy. She was crazy.

There was only one way to deal with it. There was only one thing she could think to do.

By the time Daniel woke up Vala had lost count of the number of jumping jacks she had done. She felt more tired then she had been before she fell asleep. She had only added to her own physical pain, but Daniel was still alive and that was something.

Daniel looked at her and grunted. It was bright out at last. They hoped at least one of the villagers would be awake enough to talk to them. They also hoped they wouldn't try to kill said villager. "Let's go see if we can find out why the villagers are so immune…"

Vala just nodded. She avoided looking at him, somehow looking at him made her want to rip out his throat with her teeth. She followed him outside.

The village was like every other they had seen; clusters of thatch roofed houses; an open market in the center of the village; and to the back end a large field filled with tents. Daniel had only been able to speculate as to the nature of the tents.

"Hello good neighbors," said a man approaching them with a smile. "You're evening helped to relieve your anxieties?"

Daniel shrugged and tired for a smile. "Not so much."

Vala finally lifted her eyes and glared at him.

Daniel tired his best to ignore her. "We have been wondering why there aren't any children?" No beating around the bush. Not this time.

The man looked at him like he had just said the most absurd thing in the world. "Of course the children cannot come out," the man said his look of amazement never changing. "Such practices were outlawed many years ago. Do your villages permit such acts?"

Daniel tired to calm himself. This man was extremely irritating. "Are villages are far away, and the…"

"Madness!" Vala interjected.

"The experience of your culture is quite different," Daniel finished.

The man stared at them. He shook his head. "I have heard tale of such places where the Tolyen did not occur. Places where the madness was not born into you."

Daniel suddenly felt hopeful. "The Toylen? The Madness? What is it? You understand it?"

The man smiled. "Come." He turned expecting them to follow. "You must speak with the Matrisa."

Daniel grunted and tiredly followed the man. His legs were heavy and his head was hurting. The only thing keeping Daniel going was the thought that Vala was probably worse off.

"Matrisa?" Vala whispered to Daniel as they followed.

Daniel suppressed the urge to yell at her for ignorance. "I think he's talking about a matriarch."

They followed the man, not talking, not even looking at each other, to the back of village. They entered one of the tents. It was filled with many lights and a large assortment of pillows and silks. The smells felt calming, but they did nothing to ease the pain. Had Daniel been in his regular state of mind, he probably would have blushed like a good little boy. Had Vala been in her regular state of mind, she would have very much liked this room.

A woman, no more then thirty entered from the side. "Parlo?" She said looking at the man. She looked worried to see him there. "Why have you come? Is there trouble with the rights?"

Parlo shook his head. "No, Matrisa. These are the visitors," he gestured towards Vala and Daniel without looking away from her. "They wished to be instructed in the Tolyen."

The woman looked at them. She gave them a sizing look before smiling. "Please sit."


	3. The Matrisa

The Matrisa gestured for them to sit on the floor with all the soft pillows. Daniel and Vala threw themselves down, muttered threats under their breath and glared profusely at each other.

The Matrisa's grin seemed to grow as she watched them pass enraged glares. "You have not preformed the Tolyen?"

"No," Vala said before Daniel could say anything. "Don't even know what Tolyenie-thing is."

The woman smiled. "Then the madness is still in you?"

"Yes," Vala said again, ignoring Daniel's sigh.

"Our doctor had created an antitode of sorts," Daniel began to tell the Matrisa, he peeled his eyes away from Vala.

"You're the one who lost it!" Vala suddenly shouted.

The tent went quiet. Vala and Daniel were trying their best to keep self-control but they stared at each other, breath heaving and brows sweating.

"I understand," the Matrisa said. "You have moved past the simple madness," she told them, trying her best to regain their attention. "You have moved onto the hunt, and it would appear you have both found your prey." The woman seemed to be suppressing laughter, which made Daniel want to rip her eyeballs out. "The Tolyen will have to be preformed carefully."

Daniel was having a growing fear about this Tolyen. He knew Dr. Lam hadn't told Vala about the other 'antidote' but he had a bad feeling that she was about to find out.

The woman sat down across from them. Parlo went to the back and stood quietly. The woman looked at them with a soft smile. "I have heard of worlds where the madness does not exist. Most travelers do not make this far from the Veniusa."

Daniel's eyes lit up. Vala stared at him for an explanation. He looked over at her and mouthed the word 'Stargate'. Veniusa? Daniel's mind tried to work, but his head was too fuzzy.

This room felt calming. Vala felt like she could relax. She felt like she wanted to rip this lady's head off, but she was frankly too tired to do it. She felt like maybe she could be violent and kill Daniel or something, but right now it wasn't worth the energy. She was still in desperate pain though; even the warm air in the room seemed to hurt.

"The Tolyen happens when two children come of age," the woman began pouring them a drink. She was very calm, as if she barely noticed that the two people sitting in front of her were mad idiots. "Until such a time the children are kept and taught in isolation."

Both Vala and Daniel felt appalled. They looked at each other sharing a moment of shock. The children were kept in isolation? How did they learn? How did they build social relationships?

The Matrisa smiled again. "Our people are born with the madness," she tried to explain. "Many years ago when children ran free… violence and slaughter were common. We lack the ability to prevent the children from not only harming others but also harming themselves."

She smiled at them knowing. "It has been several ages since we have lived so barbarically. The Tolyen is a gift. It sets us free from the bonds of the madness." Her eyes suddenly looked sad. "There are still a few villages that perform the acts on the young, before they come of age." She shook her head as if this were the worst thing imaginable.

Before Daniel and Vala could speak she carried on. "It is our way. It is how it must be." She handed them their drinks with a smile. "All of the adults here spent their youths in such solitude. It too is a gift. For without suffering there cannot be true peace."

Daniel stopped Vala from killing the woman by interjecting. "What exactly is the Tolyen?"

The woman smiled again. "It is the cure for madness. For seven days and seven nights the couple will engage in violent sexual activity. When they emerge they are free of the madness and may enter society."

"Sex?" Vala asked smiling viciously. "Tolyen is sex?"

Daniel's worries were coming true.

"Specifically violent sexual activity," the woman told Vala, with a look that almost oozed sympathy. "After the Tolyen…" the Matrisa paused for a moment as if she were trying to gather her thoughts. These two were strangers; their costumes and laws were different. "Sexual activity is something that must be embraced if the madness is to be overcome," the woman told them. "To suppress the madness fully Tolyen must be exactly seven days and seven nights so the violence may be fully cleansed."

"What age is coming of age?" Vala asked with an itching feeling it was much to young.

The Matrisa looked at Vala eyes wide. "It depends on the couple. It is a physical change in the body. Most come of age within their 14th year."

Vala's eyes widened. "14! You force children to do this! Arranged marriages for 14 year olds?"

"Though the partnership is not binding many partners of the Tolyen will stay together for many years." She looked at them and saw how confused they were. She nodded as if to herself, there was more she had to explain. "For the first three years for the madness to remain repressed sexual activity must take place every sixteen hours. Unlike the Tolyen these activities are not usually violent.

"Adults," she said gesturing to Parlo. "Are not so dependent. It is only required every three days or so

"The elderly in our society are very secretive as to their resistance against the madness. Though my understanding is with age the madness is overcome."

She took a sip of her own drink and waited for them to do the same before she carried on.

"There were times before the Tolyen when terrible things were done to suppress the madness. It is one of the ways we have learnt to protect our children and our societies."

Vala understood. The truth shocked her. The woman was saying that before the ritual was put into place children were being raped, repeatedly. Vala shivered. She was starting to hate this planet more and more.

"So everyone just…" Vala looked the woman over her cup. "Literally has to have… that is there is a prescribed amount of…" Vala tried to smile despite how much it hurt. "Sexual Activity?"

The Matrisa smiled knowingly. "This is not your way?"

"No," Daniel said abruptly. "Our societies are not so open with such…" Daniel paused. His fuzzy head wasn't making this any easier. "Intimate relations."

Vala glared at Daniel. "Speak for yourself!"

The woman smiled. "We know our ways may be hard to understand but they are fundamental to our culture and survival." She stared at them. She could see the madness in them and she could feel the tension building in her tent. It was not something she was willing to let her village experience. "If you wish to overcome to madness you will have to engage in the Tolyen."

Daniel's eyes went wide. "No, no, no," Daniel muttered.

Vala glared at him. "I'm sorry you find me so unattractive that you'd rather kill me then engage in… Tolyen!"

The woman did not seem at all surprised. "If this is the case, there are others who would gladly serve you in the Tolyen." She smiled at their shocked faces. "That is what the tents are for." She looked back at them but her smiled was gone. "However you have already begun the hunt," she told them as if it were the most logical thing in the world. "The Tolyen would be much easier if you could overcome your aversions and remain partners."

Daniel tried to mutter something. He wanted to say no. He wanted to say anything to stop this from happening. "I think… we will…"

The woman rose. She looked at Parlo. "Please arrange a tent for them."

That wasn't exactly what Daniel had meant. Seven days and seven nights trapped in a tent with Vala? He was bound to kill her. He tried to sputter out an excuse but the Matrisa just raised her hand.

"If you refuse the Tolyen we shall have to escort you back to your world," the woman told him. "Without the Tolyen you are a danger to my people."

Both Vala and Daniel were thoroughly dumbfounded. They were going to be forced to… If Vala had been in a better mood she would have been bouncing. Daniel despite his better judgment felt his stomach twirl in anticipation. Then they looked at each other, and the madness returned swiftly. Vala couldn't even imagine sex right now; all she wanted to do was torture Daniel, slowly and painfully. Daniel could feel the slow emergence of an animal inside, one that was ready to devour Vala in a single bite.

The Matrisa started to leave the room. She turned back to them and saw their passing glares. "Drink." Her voice was commanding and their glare was unlocked. They both turned to look at her, and then stared into their cups. "It will help with the pain."

They slowly sipped their tea in silence, making sure they avoided eye contact. Vala wasn't sure if the woman had meant the pain she was in now, or the pain of Tolyen.


	4. Tolyen Begins

Vala and Daniel were stripped and their clothes thrown into the fire. Neither of them seemed to be in very good moods. Both were violently bathed, the water and soap to Vala feeling like sandpaper against her skin. They were dragged to their tent nearly biting the men carrying them along.

Vala felt like every bone in her body had shattered. Vala felt like her skin was on fire and when she was thrown into the tent with Daniel she barely gave a second thought to the fact that he was naked. All she could think about was the pain, even the smells in the room didn't seem to calm her.

The Matrisa entered to instruct them. Both Daniel and Vala were seething; they didn't give the Matrisa a second look. They got the gist of it though it was something that was hard to miss. They were not allowed to leave the tent for seven days and seven nights, if they did they would be killed.

The Matrisa left as quickly as she had come in, leaving Daniel and Vala to glare at each other.

Daniel didn't want to be doing this. He was being forced to have sex with Vala. He couldn't take this step. He was going to lose the upper hand. He was going to give in to Vala. He didn't want this. He couldn't do this to her. He couldn't do this to him. Still he had to.

Vala didn't even look at Daniel. His eyes were seething with rage. She didn't want to look into those eyes. Daniel was lost somewhere inside that rage, but she couldn't see him. Her own rage was dissipating only because of her pain. Maybe if she held out against him?

Vala didn't know how Daniel moved that quickly, but she pulled away from his just as quick. She swerved away from him but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She took her spare hand and started to strangle him. Her nails digging into his neck she watched Daniel's ability to breath constrict.

It took most of Daniel's strength to remove Vala's hand. He had to pin her on the ground and Daniel couldn't help but be upset that she landed somewhere soft. He held both her hands above her head, barely able to control her. Then something overcame him. He lost control in a way he could not describe.

He felt like an animal on the hunt and Vala was his prey. He finally had her trapped and it was time to devour her.

Vala didn't know what to do but scream her rage. There was so much pain. As Daniel thrust into her she desperately tried to flee, but Daniel had her pinned underneath him. She didn't want this. She would rather die then go through this. But Vala knew she wasn't doing this because she might die if she didn't, she was doing it because if she didn't she'd kill Daniel, which was surprisingly exactly what she wanted to do at that moment.

Daniel was thrusting destructively. His body pressed against her like sandpaper. The floor below her felt like concrete. Vala was in a living hell.

She tried to look away from the wild eyes of Daniel's, but ever time Vala looked away Daniel would nip her cheek with his teeth. He wanted to see her eyes. He wanted to dominate her, and despite the rage he took with every thrust, Daniel wanted to enjoy Vala.

Vala feeling desperate decided to take the only action possible. She lifted her head those subtle inches so she could reach Daniel's face, and she bit down on his chin. Daniel growled but he couldn't get her teeth to let go. She didn't let her teeth let go until she tasted blood. His blood tasted sweet, a taste Vala relished.

She moved from his chin to his neck. She could feel blood trip onto her face, warm, and soothing. She clamped down on his neck. She could taste his pulse on her tongue. She wanted more blood, but most of all she wanted to cause him pain.

Daniel's thrusts slowed. Soon Daniel lay exhausted on top of her. His weight and his body were more then Vala could bear. Vala let go of his neck and tried to roll him off, but when she moved Daniel just growled.

Vala would have none of that; with a twist of her hips she had Daniel on his back. The move shocked him just enough for her to regain control of her hands and clamp his own down firmly. With a vicious smile Vala licked his chin, tasting his blood.

She moved her head down and smiled as she licked his neck and nibbled his shoulder. She found his chest and with a snarl she bit down on him. His shriek almost made her giggle. It was Daniel's turn to feel pain.


	5. This is Tolyen

Vala felt like she was outside her own body, watching herself act like someone completely insane. She stared at Daniel's chest, his arms, his legs, and then she looked almost sympathetically into his eyes, but that moment of weakness only lost her the upper hand. Daniel rolled her back onto her back and with a growl and a grin began the entire process all over again.

Vala didn't put up any resistance this time. She knew the sooner it was over the sooner she could start not thinking of it. Still she knew she was doing this willingly, in some way. She wanted to save her Daniel, even if it meant the pain was going to drive her mad.

She could feel her body starting to shake. It took her a moment to realize that she was whimpering, tears starting to form in her eyes and sobs starting to form in her throat. She tried to stop the feeling. She was doing this for Daniel, despite how much she hated him right then. Even this animal Daniel was Daniel underneath, and if he knew what he was doing to her, he would try and stop. If he stopped now, he was going to go insane, and she probably was going to go insane too.

But she could stop the tears or the sobs, they came like a tidal wave. She closed her eyes as sharply as she could possibly could. She didn't want to look at Daniel. She wanted to try and regain some idea of who she was and what the hell was going on. But despite her fears that Daniel might stop if he knew the pain she was in, Daniel's thrusts just grew more violent.

Suddenly she felt his nails digging into her flesh and she could feel the blood etching towards her pores. The heat of the act was almost soothing, the violence was somehow calming and she knew that Daniel was finding a way to give her some release.

She whispered his name through her parched lips, "Daniel?" His thrusts began to slow. She opened her eyes slowly and through her watery tears she looked into his eyes. For the first time since this had begun she actual saw Daniel, she could find him underneath the beast, pleading with her to do the same to him once more. She slowly opened her mouth and wrapped it around his arm and bit down with satisfaction.

So this was Tolyen. No wonder it took years of training to become a member of the tents. No wonder it was not an act that children were allowed to perform. No wonder the partner you made in this tent was the partner you chose for years to come. It was something that demanded extreme control and trust. This was Tolyen; Pleasure from Pain.

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Vala could feel her body starting to tire. Daniel was starting to lesson his grips on her and she knew he wasn't at full strength.

She placed her hands around his arms and dug her nails in. She was telling him to stop. She was telling him it was time to rest. He understood the sign, and slowly lifted himself from her body without letting her go. He still had the wild look about him, but now Vala understood that even the animal underneath the Daniel she knew was still her Daniel.

Food and water were placed in the outer tent and a bell was wrung. Vala and Daniel rose and followed the sound to the peaceful and abandoned outer tent. Neither had understood how hungered they were until they smelt the food. They separated each other and ravaged the provisions before them. Neither was of sound enough mind to realize the healing qualities of their nourishment.

When they had satisfied themselves they returned to each other and leisurely continued to eat. Food was like a different satisfaction, not feeding the pain and not giving of pleasure but satisfying the body so that it remembered what it was. In traditional Tolyen this would be the first meal of partners and a meal that would mark entering society away from the solitude. For Vala and Daniel this meal was a renewal; a renewal of their bodies and a renewal of their friendship. Neither could yet fathom how greatly that friendship would have to change if it was ever to survive.

When Vala felt calm enough that she could trust herself with words she spoke to him. "I do not want to sleep alone."

Daniel looked up at her, looking as ridiculous as he ever had in his life. He got up and lifted her in his arms. He carried her to the inner tent and dropped her on their bed. He stared at her for a still moment before speaking, "You are mine, as is your body and your pain. Nothing shall befall you this night or any night to follow. For you are mine and alone you shall never be again."

She lifted up her arms and pulled him down beside her. No more conflict tonight. Tonight only sleep. Tomorrow their game would begin again but how different that game would be. This was Tolyen. This was peace, life and renewal. No longer to be alone, they slept wrapped in each other as one, learning at last why fate had brought them together. Together they were able to heal, to renew; together there would be peace. That was their Tolyen, alone no more.


End file.
